Zack Wheeler’s velocity was down Sunday, which was cause for alarm for Philadelphia Phillies fans.
But the Phillies ace insisted there was nothing wrong with him physically in his outing against the Texas Rangers on Sunday, which is even better news than the ace right-hander picking up his first win since July 6.
Wheeler threw five innings of two-run, three-hit, three-walk ball while striking out seven in Philadelphia’s 4-2 win over the Rangers.
Why Was Zack Wheeler’s Velocity Down?
Wheeler boasts the 13th-best four-seam fastball velocity in the majors this year (96.0 mph), yet there was a marked difference in his fastball velocity, which averaged 94.2 mph Sunday per Paul Casella of MLB.com.
That was an especially alarming development since Wheeler’s initial start, scheduled for Friday against the Rangers, was pushed back due to shoulder soreness.
Still, no one in the Philadelphia organization is concerned, or if they are they are not stating it publicly.
âToday I felt perfectly normal,â Wheeler said. “I’m not concerned. [The velocity will] come back.â
“I’m not concerned,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said after the game, according to MLB.com, when asked about the velocity. “He just looks like he’s a little bit out of sync, that’s all.”
It wasn’t just his fastball velocity either, since each of his six pitches came in slower than his season-long average.
“It’s harder to pitch at that velo than, say 95, 96,” Wheeler admitted. “You don’t get as many swings and misses or as many foul balls, it’s a little easier to hit.”
Wheeler still leads the majors in strikeouts (109) and is tied with teammate Cristopher Sanchez for the seventh-most innings in the majors (144 2/3) and near the top of the major-league lead in starts (23).
He hinted that his lower velocity may be a sign of the dog days of making a start nearly every fifth day — or it could just be a slump.
“If you’ve been around baseball for a while, you know guys go through different times in the season where guys might not have their best stuff for a few starts in a row,” Wheeler said. “That’s just it for me right now. It’ll come back around.”
What Is Happening With Zack Wheeler’s Shoulder?
Wheeler confirmed he has been fighting through a shoulder ailment and that he had an MRI on his shoulder just so he and the Phillies could figure out the best way to treat his woes.
“It’s been a while,â Wheeler said when asked when he first felt pain. “It finally just got to that point to where we wanted to go get an image of it so we could treat, specifically, what needed to be treated and not just guess.”
But even though he is clearly not 100 percent, Wheeler gutted through his outing, which is no surprise to his battery mate.
“That’s the type of pitcher he is,” said Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto. “Even when he doesn’t have his best stuff, he’s going to give us a chance to win the game. He’s going to go out there and compete, and he’s going to find a way to get it done.”
Plus, Wheeler felt good after the game.
“Felt good, felt healthy,” Wheeler said. “Still just a little off, so just got to keep working at that.”
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